Tips for Preventing Infections during Chemotherapy

Clean hands help
prevent infections.

People with cancer who are treated
with chemotherapy are more
likely to get infections through
everyday activities with their family and
friends or from healthcare settings. One
out of every 10 people with cancer who
receives chemotherapy gets an infection
that requires a hospital visit.

What is an infection?
You get an
infection when germs enter your body
and multiply, causing illness, organ and
tissue damage, or disease. Bacteria and
viruses cause infections.

You can get bacteria from the air,
water, soil, or food during the course of
your medical treatment. Most bacteria
come from your own body. Common
bacterial infections include pneumonia,
bronchitis, and ear infections.

Viruses are passed from one person
to another. Common viral infections
include the common cold, herpes,
and the flu.

How does the body normally fight
infections?
The immune system helps
your body protect itself from getting an
infection. Cancer and chemotherapy can
damage this system, reducing your numbers
of infection-fighting white blood
cells and making it harder for your body
to fight infections.

How can I prevent infections during
chemotherapy? Prepare, prevent,
and protect.
Prepare: Watch Out for Fever
If you
get a fever during your chemotherapy
treatment, it’s a medical emergency.
Fever may be the only sign that you have
an infection, and an infection during
chemotherapy can be life-threatening.

You should take your temperature
any time you feel warm, flushed, chilled,
or not well. If your temperature is
100.4°F (38°C) or higher for more than
one hour, or 101°F (38.3°C) or higher
for any length of time, call your doctor
right away, even if it happens in the middle
of the night. You should also take
the following precautions:

Find out from your doctor when your
white blood cell count is likely to be the
lowest, since this is when you’re most
at risk for infection.

Keep a working thermometer in a convenient
location and know how to use it.

Keep your doctor’s phone numbers
with you at all times and know what
number to call when the office is open
and closed.

If you have to go to the emergency
room, tell the person checking you in
that you are undergoing chemotherapy.
If you have a fever, you might have an
infection. This is a life-threatening condition,
and you should be seen quickly.

Prevent: Clean Your Hands
Clean
hands help prevent infections. Many
diseases are spread by not cleaning your
hands, which is especially dangerous
when you’re getting chemotherapy treatment
because your body may not be able
to fight off infections like it used to. You
and anyone who comes around you, including
all members of your household,
your doctors, and nurses, should clean
their hands frequently. Don’t be afraid
to ask people to clean their hands. Use
soap and water to wash your hands. If
soap and water aren’t available, use an
alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Be sure
to clean your hands at these times:

before, during, and after cooking food;

before you eat;

after going to the bathroom;

after changing diapers or helping a
child use the bathroom;

after blowing your nose, coughing,
or sneezing;

after touching or cleaning up after
your pet;

after touching trash; and

before and after treating a cut or
wound or caring for your catheter, port,
or other access device.

Protect: Know the Signs and Symptoms
of Infection
When your white blood cell
counts are low, you must take infection
symptoms seriously. Infection during
chemotherapy can lead to hospitalization
or death. Call your doctor right
away if you notice any of the following
signs and symptoms of an infection:

fever (this is sometimes the only
sign of an infection);

chills and sweats;

change in cough or a new cough;

sore throat or new mouth sore;

shortness of breath;

nasal congestion;

stiff neck;

burning or pain with urination;

unusual vaginal discharge or irritation;

increased urination;

redness, soreness, or swelling in any
area, including surgical wounds and ports;

diarrhea;

vomiting;

pain in the abdomen or rectum; or

new onset of pain.

Find out from your doctor when your
white blood cell count is likely to be the
lowest. This usually occurs between
seven and 12 days after you finish each
chemotherapy dose, and may last up to
one week.

What should I do if I think I have
an infection?
Call your doctor right
away, even if this happens in the middle
of the night. This is considered an emergency.
Don’t wait until morning. Make
sure you know what number to call during
your doctor’s office hours, as well
as after hours.

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For more information, action steps,
and tools to help reduce the risk of developing
potentially life-threatening infections
during chemotherapy treatment, visit the
CDC website 3 Steps Toward Preventing
Infections During Cancer Treatment at
preventcancerinfections.org.